Rain Bringer An Original R&C FanFic
by Kazifasari
Summary: Shortly after Clank is taken by the Zoni, the spirit of Ratchet's own father intervenes, and sends Clank to the New Lombaxian City. For reasons not completely known. A direct sequel-fic to Tools of Destruction. COMPLETELY ORIGINAL. Very Canon.
1. Chapter 1

Rain Bringer

Chapter One:

The Keeper Of Truths

Clank did not see nor hear Ratchet try to get him away from the Zoni. All that was in his head where blurred images depicting peace and harmony. He could smell flowers and sweet things that intoxicated him. "Yes" he said, his head swirling in nirvana "Time to come with you-" They took him through a tunnel of light. To where he did not know, nor did he care at the moment, he was so peaceful. But his mind was not his own. The thing that made Clank special was his ability to think for himself. Now the Zoni controlled him and filled his head with the sweet blurred images of harmony. Images that where a lie.

"We are almost Home." the Zoni chorused. "Very soon your purpose will be filled." "My purpose will be filled-" Clank echoed back. "You will take your rightful place with us." chorused the Zoni. "My Rightful place-" but the moment Clank ushered these words something else entered the tunnel with them. Something large and golden. It attacked the Zoni who scattered. The golden creature circled fast around Clank keeping each of the Zoni from have a direct effect on him. Though they could not use there powers while the creature guarded Clank they could still speak. And there peaceful drawl had been replaced by cries of terror. They pleaded with Clank to come with them. But Clank didn't want to. Something about this creature was clearing his head. Though the images it supplied him with where not all harmonious ones Clank new in his own heart that they where truths.

The Zoni continued their pleading. "Silence!" the Golden Creature demanded. The Zoni fell silent, but their eyes now glowed a red Clank had never seen before. "Clank does not belong with you!" Their voices where now low and threatening. "He belongs with us, we are his destiny!" The Creature did not seem impressed by this shallow argument in the slightest. He looked up at them through the top of his eyes. "Is that so? Then tell me what will you do with him?" The Zoni did not answer. "Yeah, thats exactly what I was thinking too." sneered the Creature. Clank's mind was still clearing itself. But he now knew why the Creature's large ears and tufted tail where signs of something Clank had connected to his heart. And, like being able to breath again after a deep dive, a reviving truth filled him. This creature was a lombax.

"Now leave him! You already have enough power, and he already has a family." The lombax told them with out falter. The Zoni could not answer, so they begrudgingly left. And Clank's mind was aloud to fully clear itself. "Ratchet?" was all he could say though. The lombax sighed heavily. He turned to face Clank and as he did he said- "I'm afraid you will not be able to see my son again for a while." He looked down at Clank with a gentle expression. Like a father looking down at his son. He was not Ratchet but he looked remarkably like him. Only major differences being his age and the fact that his face had a white mask like marking "Your Ratchet's father?" Clank asked in awe. "Hoenhiem, Former keeper of The Dimensionator and current keeper of truths." He said this like he had grown tired of saying it. "And yes I am Ratchet's father." "Why did you chase the Zoni away? They where my friends." Clank asked sadly.

"No Clank they are not your friends." He said this so harshly that Clank was taken aback. "The Zoni, Clank are, no, where The Keepers Of Peace. You see, but in order to create peace they often lie. As I am The Keeper of Truth it is my job to step in and stop them from doing something that would hurt the heart of someone who has no reason to be hurt in that way. The our biggest pains are driven by in-truths Clank. Honesty is the greatest medicine, even if we would not like to admit it. Its what keeps a relationship from dyeing. Us lombaxes learned that the hard way." "You are referring to Tachyon?" Clank said. Hoenhiem nodded. "But what would The Zoni have done to me if I went with them?" Clank asked wide eyed, both for what just happened, and the fact that he was talking to Ratchet's own father.

"They would have erased your memories of all you hold dear, that includes Ratchet." Clank felt a horrible lurch inside. "To them nothingness is purity. Yet they are corrupted by there own power. You see the Zoni are devises called heart-compasses, and like most heart-compasses they only have half-souls. They desire full souls for power, but cannot have them. Instead they adopt a being with a strong spirit and control that spirits power. It looks like they chose you as there next host. But I cannot let them do that."

His face became very somber. "Anyone but you." "Why?" Clank asked. "Because of what you did for my son." Clank had not expect this. Hoenhiem obviously saw the great confusion and shock in Clank's face. "You where there for him at a time when no one else was. You gave him back something he had lost."

"And what was that?"

"A family."


	2. A Door in The Sky

Rain Bringer

Chapter Two

A Door in The Sky

Hoenhiem smiled and walked past Clank. He reached out to grab something unseen. Clank watched in amazement as he realized he was holding a old fashion door knob. And with it he opened an entrance. On the other side was something gray and misty, clouds. He looked up at the lombax, asking with a look what this was about. Hoenhiem knew what he was thinking. "Clank-" he spoke gently. "Unlike the Zoni I will give you a choice. You can go back with the Zoni. Forget all you love in the name of lies, but be happy forever. Or you can go through this door where you will learn that there is more to life than purposes. So what is your choice? A set path? Or a path chosen from your own heart?"

Clank looked back at the void where the Zoni had now vanished. Then back at the strange door. It was hard to resist happiness forever, but what about Ratchet? He would never see him again if he went with the Zoni. Maybe this door would bring him back to Ratchet. He glanced up at Hoenhiem. Hoenhiem just shrugged as if to say "Your choice not mine." Clank looked out the strange door. The clouds where moving and he could see patches of blue sky appear. If he went with the Zoni it was a dead end, if he went through the door it was an option. He stepped forward and stood inches from a cloud. Clenching his fists he made up his mind to himself. "You have chosen the path of the heart?" Hoenhiem asked. Clank nodded. "Then I will help anyway I can." He said with a smile. Clank let his last fear go and jumped through the door.

The moment he went through it everything flipped around. He suddenly found his self facing down when he had just be facing forward. He fell and the door in the sky closed before he could turn back to hear Hoenhiem wishing him the best of luck. He let him self fall. He could easily hover down the last few feet. After he broke through the finale layer of cloud he realized that he would be touching down in water. Switching to heli-pack mode he let himself hover down and plop into the waves. He looked around trying to find land. Far in the distance to the east he saw just visible the hazy outline of a city. He switch to his Robo-Wings and flew across the sea only few feet above the highest waves.

Clank's jaw all but fell off the moment he touched down onto the land. He recognized the city immediately. Its skyscrapers had what looked like wrenches at the top of them. Gear shaped bridges linked them. Everything except the plants resemble some form of tool. It was the lombax city. He was in the lombax city! He couldn't believe it. And only a few feet in-font of him where lombaxes. Living, breathing, lombaxes walking in crowds going somewhere, whether to businesses, stores or schools. They came in a multitude of colors, much to Clank's surprise. Individuals ranged in color from the gold he had expected them all to be, to even reds, blacks, and whites, But they all had, large long ears that bobbed behind their heads as they walked, and striped fur and tails that ended in tuffs of various sizes.

They paid him no heed. Except for a young child no bigger than he was. It came up to him with jovial smile. Clank was about to say "hello" when it mother tugged it away and it went tripping after her. A few feet away on bench sat a young female with fur the color of butter, and a rather large tail-tuft Clank noticed. She had a sketchbook in her lap and was busily moving a pencil across its surface. He approached her cautiously. "E-Excuse me." he said quietly. Too quietly for she did not hear him. He cleared his throat and gathering his courage said it again. "Excuse me." She looked around trying to find where the voice had come from but her eyes where set to high and she looked right past him. "Down here.'" Clank told her and her head turn downward. Her face brightened with surprise. She had a pleasant face with bright brown eyes, A scruffy tuft sat atop her brow. "Oh hello, are.. are you okay?" she had noticed the uncomfortable look on his face. It had only been just then that Clank realized something: he had no where to go. And how do you explain that you came falling from a door in the sky? "Um...Well uh." he was struggling to find the right words and praying to himself that she would not get impatient and leave. "I am lost." was all he could say after a while. "Do you know where it is you would like to go?" she asked him. "Well the thing is, I have never been here, and I do not know where to go." He sounded so stupid to himself. But she obviously didn't think so, or she didn't bother to show it. "Well there gone anyway. I could give you a place to stay for the night." "They?" Clank inquired. She lowered her sketchbook so he could view it. Coving the page where dozens of little bird sketches. She got up with a stretch. "Come on, I gotta check in with Jaque first though." she said. Clank could not believe it. He just stood there in shock as she began to leave. She turned around. "What are you waiting for? Come on!" He hurried after her. "You are going to help me?" He said joyfully. "I don't see why not?" Clank was liking this female more with every passing moment. As they walked down the side-walk she asked him if he had a name. "They call me Clank." he told her. "Clank?" she repeated. "Sounds like the kind of name a lombax would give a robot. Well Clank I am Ariana, but please just call me Ari."


	3. Jaque's

Rain Bringer

Chapter Three

Jaque's

Clank ran behind Ari as they made their way through thick crowds. Jostled and pushed by the larger lombaxes he had to run to keep up with her fast pace. "Where are we going?" he called after her, She looked over her shoulder and called back "Jaque's" I need to get back to work. You'll be able to stay there until its time to go home." The streets now became smaller, and the buildings where no longer skyscrapers. Ari turned a sharp corner and went into the ally of a building that had a lot of commotion going on inside. The smell of things cooking and the sound steam rising came from the windows in the back part of the ally where Clank had followed her too. He saw her tie a large white apron around her waste before entering.

"Your late!" called a stern voice from over an open shelf. Where on the other side an a orange lombax with white stripes was cooking something on a large skillet. "Sorry Uncle Jaque but I had-" "No buts, you know the rule an hour for lunch and your twenty minutes late." Ari was defeated. She hung her head in shame. "Now," Jaque said "take these to table five." he handed her a large wooden tray where placed upon were several large plates of steaming food. Heaving from its weight she turn to Clank and said "I see you later." Before disappearing behind a pair of large swinging doors with small windows. Clank felt very out of place. The lombaxes in the kitchen where all to busy making food and taking orders to pay any attention to him. So he let himself just stand there. Big mistake. A moment later a male waiter with light gold fur and grey eyes was coming in and not looking as to where he was going tripped over Clank. The plates he was carrying flew up into the air before hitting the floor a second later with a mighty CRASH.

"Watch where your standing!" the lombax yelled. He got up stiffly as an older and rather sad looking grey furred male came in and began sweeping up the rubble. Clank was now the intention of every one, except the janitor who didn't dare look up from his work. They where all glaring at him. Clank swallowed hard and looked around for someone to break the awkward silence. At last it was Jaque who granted this wish by stepping forward and saying- "So, Your the reason she was late." Clank at first was afraid but then he noticed a gleam in Jaque's hazel eyes. A gentle smile covered his face. "If you could stay on the bench over there until Ari comes to take you. We kinda don't need you tripping anymore of my employees." He waved his hand in the direction of a large wood bench that sat strangely on one wall looking quite out of place in the metal and marble room. The whole time he sat there the lombax he tripped gave him nasty looks every time he entered the kitchen.

It was not until dark that Ari finally addressed Clank. "Jaque says I can go home early today." She was out of breath from the hustle and bustle of the customers. She took of her apron and rolled it tight in her arms. She then picked up a long coat and through it over her shoulders. As they stepped outside Clanks censors noticed a dramatic drop in the outside temperature. It was mid autumn on this planet and while the days where still warm enough to go out in casual clothing the nights had become bitter. Clank could see steam forming around her mouth as she breathed. "I made a lombax very mad at me." Clank told her guiltily. "I heard." she said with a laugh. "Was he pale gold with grey eyes?" "Yes." "That was Martin, Clank, and he gets mad at anyone and everything. Don't pay attention to him." Clank took this advice but it was hard. Something was plaguing his mind since the moment he arrived in the city. He thought hard on how to ask the question to Ari as they made their way down the sidewalk. "Ari, Why...uh How come the lombaxes ether get mad at me or ignore me?" Ari smiled at him. "Cause they're not use to robots anymore." "What?" Clank asked in surprise. "Clank, have you seen one robot yet in this entire city besides yourself?" She asked. Clank looked around, though there was almost nobody there besides the two of them. She was right, he had not seen a single robot beside himself. All the jobs that in the Solana, Bogon, and Polaris galaxies where run by robots where run by lombaxes. "The robots didn't come with us during the Great Migration." She told him. "Great Migration?" Clank asked with a thoughtful look. "Here we are!" She said, ignoring his question. They went up a narrow stairway and into an apartment building. After going up several flights of stairs, because the elevator was broken, she opened a small panel beside a door that read "6-D". It revealed a small pad of numbered buttons and she quickly pressed in a long code of digits. There was a beep and the door slid open.

The apartment was larger then Clank had expected. It had a kitchen which opened to a living room and a dining room. In the back where three large doors which opened to two bedrooms and a bathroom. Ari put her stuff away before heating herself a frozen dinner in the microwave. It felt like it was ten o-clock at night. But the clock on wall read six-thirty.


	4. The Great Migration

Rain Bringer

Chapter Four

The Great Migration

'What a nice dream' Clank thought to himself as he was still half off-line. Last night Ari had offered him her room. But he refused her hospitality. She was already doing so much for him he couldn't make her do anymore. It was all a dream however, he knew that when he opened his eyes he would be in the Apogee station just like the night before. Clank heard a strange disembodied voice speaking. He groggily began to wake and caught few words of what it said "auroras-portals-investigators" Another voice joined the fray. This one was much closer and strangely familiar. "Thats not possible the Dimensionator was broken, no Lombax alive today could possibly fix it." Upon hearing these words Clank shot awake. And looked around in shock. He was in the apartment he had dreamed about, no had not not dreamed, this was real. On the other end of the couch where he had slept was a male lombax with orange fur and white stripes, Jaque.

Clank was lost words. It had not been a dream, and, looking at the news caster on the holovid, thought, had he just mention the "Dimensionator?" It was only a moment later that Clank realized he had said the last word. Jaque immediately answered him. "Yeah, it was a Heart-Compass created by eight lombaxes to exile the cragmites." "I know-" Clank said a little too quickly. Jaque gave him a questioning look. Clank decided to ask a different question. "How do you know it was broken?" Jaque gave a chuckle. "You think we lombaxes, even in a different dimension, don't keep tabs on our most important heart-compasses? Oh yes we know all the times its been used, who's used it and what it has been used for. That includes Percival using it to bring back the cragmites in the old dimension." Clank didn't know what to say, he had not been expecting this. Jaque's face then became very thoughtful. "Wait a minute- How do know about the Dimensionator?" His eyes where know piercing. As though he were attempting to read Clanks mind. Clank thought against telling him, but then thought maybe it would be for the best. So taking a deep breath Clank proceeded to tell Jaque everything.

When Clank finally finished Jaque was grinning from ear to ear. "So it was him?" He was referring to Ratchet. "He's the one who restored the order in the Old-Dimension?" But Clank had another question on his mind "Jaque. what are Heart-Compass-?" but before he could finish the door slid open and their conversation was cut short by Ari who had come back from town. It must have snowed because she was wearing a large down parka and her boots where covered in melting flakes. She wiped them on the matt in front of the door before kicking them off. "Good-Morning." she greeted Clank with a smile while hanging her coat next to the door. "You decided to sleep a long time." Clank glanced at the old-fashion round faced clock on the wall. It read one o-clock. One o-clock? Had he actually slept that long? Ari turned her attention to Jaque. "Uncle did you hear about the auroras?" "Yeah, herd about them. The news stations haven't had anything this exiting to talk about since the Rivet's claimed to have created a device that turns raritanium into gold-bolts."

Jaque was right. The news anchor on the screen seemed abnormally happy about this, despite his best efforts to remind the public that it was a truly serious subject. Because the city was located nowhere near the poles. Not to mention that aurora like lights where known to be signs of Inter-dimensional travel. At one point they went to the interview segment where they grabbed random lombaxes off the suburb streets where the lights had been seen and asked them the same dumb questions of "what happened" and "how did you feel." Most just said they saw the lights and it frightened them. But one man interviewed was not going to settle with a story that simple. They asked the same dumb questions and his response was- "Oh yeah I saw the light, came right over my house it did, and then, then this huge black tentacle came sprouting out of it. Took my house it did." Behind however his house still remained. "But ah-ah of course, as you can see, ... it- it gave it back." The screen turned back to the news anchor. "-Investigator may fear that these auroras are being caused by inter-dimensional travel, but who or even what is traveling his unknown. Let us all hope we don't need to go through another Great Migration-" Jaque turned the holovid off, and stood up with a stretch. "Jaque, what was the Great Migration?" Clank asked him. Jaque didn't hesitate to answer him.

"Forty-Six years ago lombaxes discovered a cragmite egg on Kreeli Comet. Because the lombaxes believed that goodness was the result of have how one was raised they set out to create a "good" cragmite. But there efforts failed and as a teenager Percival Tachyon discovered his true origins and became resentful towards all lombaxes. Over the next ten years he built an army so power-full that we lombaxes had no choice but to leave the "Old-Dimension". We hoped it would make Tachyon leave the rest of the Polaris galaxy alone. And in the Court Of Azimuth Hoenhiem activated the Dimensionator and we all fled for our lives to this planet. Hoenhiem however did not follow. He stayed behind with his son Ratchet and the heart-compass of his friend Sirus. Which he hoped would one day help his son for-fill his purpose. He sent Ratchet and the heart-compass to the Solana galaxy to be safe from Tachyon until the right time came."


	5. Diablo

Chapter 5

Diablo

Ratchet stared down un-hungry at what was left of already measly dinner. His appetite had been severely decreased since Clank was taken by the Zoni. And it was beginning to show. He was much thinner, and even his fur was shedding out at an alarming rate. Every other day he had to vacuum his own bed to get rid of all the excess hair he had shed out. "Ratchet please. You can't keep doing this, your wasting away." Talwyn pleaded with Ratchet during that meal for the third time that day. "I'm going to find him." Ratchet said abruptly. Everyone became silent. "Ratchet for all we know he could be in a different dimension!" said Talwyn argued. "Then I'll just have to find the door to that dimension won't I?" Ratchet argued back. He got up from his spot at the table and excused himself. Leaving the room in an un-comfortable silence.

'A door' he thought, why did he feel there was a door somewhere, no he didn't feel, he knew. In his room next to the bed was the strange device he had been working on. It resembled a compass with five stationary rings of various sizes encircling it. There was a green orb in its center and an antenna with a red light on top. It was silver in color with an intricate pattern carved on its cover. Ratchet had put his heart and soul into the creation of this device. In fact it felt that way. For every time he worked on it he felt as though a piece of his own soul was being transferred into the device. It even felt alive, a "pulse" could be felt now when held, and it was always warm. But there was something still missing on it. And as Ratchet struggled rap his mind around it he remembered Clank and realized something. This device was not meant for his use but Clank's. To help Clank do something great. What? he did not know. But he knew now what would complete it. Thinking about what Clank had truly meant to him Ratchet got out the tiny metal laser he had used to carve the design that was on the cover and wrote on the back, "Where your treasure is your heart is also."

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Through out the winter Clank stayed with Ariana and Jaque. Soon the city became covered in a layer of thick snow that never fully melted. The days where short, the sun rose at nine and then set again at four. Clank found himself being the center of much attention from the lombaxes. They had left so much behind in the Great Migration that they had become surprisingly primitive. A robot to them was something of extreme interest. Especially for those who where too young to remember anything about Fastoon. These younger lombaxes, Clank learned, had been taught that they would never see a robot in there lives. And yet here one was on their very planet, which was called Nesota by the lombaxes. The lombax city itself was called Techima. Clank found himself often entertaining groups of young lombaxes, many of them no bigger then he was. Showing them his various upgrades and devices, which they thought was some kind of magic.

To keep himself occupied he took a job working in Jaque's restaurant, Because he was to short however he couldn't work as waiter so he stayed behind in the kitchen helping Jaque with the cooking. Jaque's restaurant had started to become less crowded. One day the highest number of diners was twelve. A truly scant number compared to the dozens that occupied just for dinner when Clank first arrived. But the economy was going down and Jaque's restaurant was one of the first places to suffer from it. They had a minimal resources supply because of a major drought that had been lasting for almost two years. The lombaxes prayed that the following spring would bring rain for them. With so few tips most of Jaque's employes quit to find fortunes else where. Now it was just the three of them. Jaque and Clank worked in the kitchen, while Ari served the waitress. And when closing time came, at two because no one ever came for dinner time anymore, she also did clean up.

Ari let the old fashion mop fall to floor with a soggy plop. Cleaning floors by hand was just one of the many ways that the lombaxes where now primitive. She set to washing the floor as Jaque left to go pick up the groceries. Clank watched as she leaned hard against the mops handle and scrubbed hard at the floor. He felt bad just watching her, and he didn't want to leave so he found two sponges, soaked them in soapy water, and got down on his hands and began scrubbing the floor as well. "Clank, you don't have to do that." Ari told him. "But I want to." he replied, sounding much like a small child. "Okay." She smiled at him and continued working. When Clank had first arrived the kitchen had felt small. But now with only two people in it he realized how large it really was.

Clank was busy trying to scrub off a hard piece of food from the floor when he felt a sudden splash of water hit his face, He looked up at Ari who was grinning from ear to ear. He smiled and then threw one his sponges at her. She gave a playful shriek as it splattered her with water through her raised arms. Soon the two where fighting each other with soapy water. Splashing each other with buckets and sponges. Ari soon had to remain on all fours because the floor had become slick as ice. And she slipped around at Clanks eye level. Soon both where soaking wet but still they played and as they did so they failed to here the front door open.

Ari grabbed hold of Clank and threatened, playfully of course, that she was going to upgrade a toasting ability on to him. "You would make a great toaster Clank, you know that." She teased. "I do not wish to be a toaster." The door suddenly threw open in came the most bizarre looking lombax Clank had ever seen, or at least he thought he was a lombax. He was well built and stalky. His fur was dark grey and just a single black stripe was on each of his ears, which where extremely lop-sided. One ear drooped down past his right shoulder while his other pointed almost vertical towards the ceiling, To complete his look where a pair of bright yellow eyes with slits for pupils. "What are you doing here, the shops closed." Ari growled. "I heard you had a robot." he said in snide voice. His eyes spotted Clank and he grin viciously. "I see its true." He knelt down so he was at Clank's eye level. "I pathetic one I'm afraid. What was he designed to be? A toaster or an oven?" Ari looked embarrassed for teasing Clank only a moment ago for resembling a toaster. The tips of hers ears curled forward. "I was hoping for a war-bot or anything better, and all I get is a tin can." Diablo sneered. "Even if I was a war-bot I would not let you have me! To only one lombax would I belong" Clank protested. Diablo laughed a mirthful laugh that made Clank's cergets twist. "Why would I want to have you? Your a worthless piece of scrap-metal. Created from a glitch in the factory that made you no less. You'll never be whole, you'll never belong, you'll always be just a servant." Clank hung his head in shame. It was true. He was a robot, and all robots are designed to serve, not belong. Worse he was a glitch, which made him even less valuable. "-but-" the lombax continued. "You have spirit, I guess I'll to give you that." He looked sick from giving a compliment. "But you'll have to be a bit more then a factory-second toaster to be worth anything." He got up and looked disapproving at the fact that his pants where now all wet. Then he headed out the kitchen in a single sweeping motion. A moment later the bells on the front door rang to signify his departure.

Ari turned to Clank. "Don't listen to him Clank. Thats Diablo and he's jealous of everybody remotely better then him. Besides I don't believe what he says about you. I've heard that glitches in robot-factories are extremely rare nowadays. That makes you special, I think." Clanks face suddenly became very warm. "Thanks." he said humbly. Ari smiled at him. "I think we should dry this up." She said referring to the soaking wet kitchen. Still on all fours Ari opened a small pantry and took out a pile of towels. She handed half of them to Clank and the two where now wiping up all the water. It took a little over an hour to do this. As they did so Ari asked him what he was talking about when he said "To only one lombax would I belong." So Clank told her about Ratchet and how together the two had become like brothers, while, and trying not to sound like a braggart, they saved no less then three galaxies. Ari was a great audience. She gasped in all right places. When he finished she said "He must mean a lot to you." Clank felt both happy and sad at the same time. "Yes he does-" He admitted. Clank had never thought about it before, but it was true. Ratchet was worth more to him then his own life. "I hope I'll be able to see him again, we got...um...sepurated." "Can't you just look him up the holo-phone book or something?" Ari asked. The two things Clank had not told her about was the Zoni and the fact that the entire story took place in a different dimension. He struggled to find a loop-whole around those facts. He didn't feel she was ready to know about that. "I cannot. We do not know his true name. At least not his last name." Ari gave a gasp. "Are you serious? Even he doesn't know his own last-name?" But why?" "Yes, because you see, he is an orphan, and somehow after his parents died his name became lost." Clank said. "I was hoping to there was a way to bring him here." "Why?" Ari asked with a cocked head. "To let him meet another lombax. I think that is his deepest wish." Ari raised her eyebrows. Clank continued to explain a little better. "You see, he's never met another lombax. Where I'm from he's the last one." "Thats so sad." Ari said sincerely. "I hope that he finds a way to come here. I'd like to meet him too."


	6. Plight of The Lombax

Rain Bringer

Chapter 6

Plight of the Lombax

Ratchet's journey from planet to planet to find his friend had taken him back to Iris. The old computer was still not working. But with help from Talwyn, Cronk and Zephyr they managed to get the computer running once again for a brief period. Talwyn and the war-bots had tagged along despite Ratchet's protest that he had to go alone. Talwyn wouldn't hear of it. Saying that with out Clank Ratchet was only half as agile as he used to be. She was right, if wasn't for her Cronk and Zephyr he wouldn't have made it this far. They had come to replace Clank in helping Ratchet pass large gaps and jump higher platforms.

The computer turn on with the flickering of its many screens. Its censors noticed Ratchet immediately. "Ratchet, you have returned." Iris said calmly. "Yes, I need to know something." Ratchet said. He was about to continue when Iris spoke again. "You want to know if there is a way to find your friend Clank." She stated. "Yes-" Ratchet said breathless "Where did the Zoni take him?"

"The Zoni where going to take him to their home-world, Spiri.

"But why?"

"Because he is one of them-"

Ratchet felt as though someone had poured freezing water onto him. "What?" he gasped. "The Zoni, Ratchet, where the heart-compasses of a great lombax king from three thousand years ago, named Arik Daiseu."

"What's a "heart-compass"

"Every race has with in them a small degree of magic. For the lombaxes it is the ability to create devices known as heart-compasses. They are formed from a piece of a lombaxes own soul. However they are not meant to be used by the creator, but by someone close to the creators heart. No two heart-compasses are the same, and each has a different purpose. Because they are in-fact a piece of another beings soul they are in many ways alive. And if they are given the chance they will develop for themselves a complete soul. Becoming just as alive and unique as the lombax who created them. The Zoni where a Heart-Compass who tried to give themselves complete souls but failed. Only one heart-compass as ever been able to form a complete soul and that is the one known under the title of Clank."

"Clank... is ... a Heart-Compass?!" Ratchet choked. "Affirmative. He was created to help you Ratchet. To help you for-fill your destiny. Do you think it was just luck that the two of you met? No Ratchet it was fate." Ratchet mind was swimming he couldn't believe what he was hearing. But something told him it was true. Clearing his mind he addressed Iris again. "What happened when Clank was taken by the Zoni?" he asked. "Like I mentioned before the Zoni where going to take him to Spiri-" "But why Spiri?" Ratchet interrupted. "Spiri is the world where all heart-compasses like Clank and the Zoni are meant to go once their purpose has been filled. It is where they learn who they are and what they will become." 'So why did they fail?" Ratchet asked. "The spirit of your father, Hoenhiem, found them. He knew that there was more for Clank then just Spiri now that his original purpose had been completed. Because Clank has a complete soul he is more then just a heart-compass, he is an individual. Hoenhiem recognized that and sent him to where he truly belongs."

"And where is that?"

"Planet Nesota, to the lombax city of Technima." Ratchet looked down. His mind deep in thought. Technima, that was where the lombaxes fled to twenty years ago, wasn't it? "Iris, how do I get to Nesota?" Ratchet asked. Iris, who's voice was starting to become more static in sound as she lost power, answered him one finale time "Follow the lights, till you reach the Great Lombax- power-cells functioning at 8 percent capacity-" But Ratchet now had even more questions. "Wait please!" he cried. "Who is the Great Lombax? How can Clank be a heart-compass if he was created in a robot factory on planet Quartu?" "Follow the lights-" and with that Iris shut down once again.

"Great." said Talwyn. "Now what?" "What else? We follow the "lights" whatever that means." said Ratchet. Cronk and Zephyr exchanged looks. Then both nodded. Cronk cleared his throat to get Ratchet and Talwyn's attention. "Do you remember that news report about the auroras?" he asked. "Yeah what about it?" Ratchet asked with a raised brow. "Of course!" Talwyn suddenly cried. "Of course what?" Ratchet said, not understanding at all. "In ancient times real auroras where called the Northern Lights!" She explained. "I bet you anything that is what Iris was talking about when she said "Follow the lights-""

"Follow the lights-" its was their only clue. But at the time being it was as good as they could get. Back at Aphelion Ratchet told her to use her censors to find the auroras and follow them. She obliged willingly. And they set out, now to find The Great Lombax.

Back on Nesota the last snow had melted. The gray sky had become a periwinkle blue and flower buds where starting to bloom on most of the trees. It was really quite beautiful. And the warm weather made the lombaxes come out in larger and more active numbers. The city of Technima seemed to be revitalized. But all was not well. The sky still showed no sign of rain. The only water received was from the snow melting into streams up in the mountains. And to make things worse Jaque had to close down his restaurant. With no income they would eventually be evicted from their apartment for not being able to pay the rent. Everywhere they looked for jobs but there was no openings anywhere. In fact most places had far more employes than they needed.

Clank looked up at a blooming millia tree that stood in the cities park. Its bright gold flowers forming in thick clumps that covered the entire tree. It was twice the size of any of the other millias, and its gold flowers made it stand out from pink violights, red rosets, and white albias. He turned to Ari who sat by him sketching a small rodent with two tails that was busy scurrying around a few feet in front of them. "I do not understand-" the rodent left. "Understand what?" said Ari. Putting down her sketchbook. "If there is a drought how come the plants are still alive?" "The cities plants get the same water as we get from our taps, haven't you noticed that the water for the city hasn't been shut-off?" "Where does this water come from then?" Clank asked. Ari gestured to the south, "To the south by the shore there are special factories that convert the sea-water to fresh." "Then there is really no problem." Clank said. "I'm afraid that's not how it works." She said sadly. "The factories are extremely expensive to run, thats why the economy has gone down, and why the tax on water is so high. But despite our best efforts we can't keep up. We'll all run out of money, and the factories will break-down, because they won't be taken care of anymore." "Cannot the ministry realize this problem and lower the prices." Clank asked shocked. "The ministry!" Ari scoffed "They think its a fluke the weathers so bad, they don't see that theres something more to this. Theres a reason we've had no rain. Besides they get filthy stinking rich for it." "Then move." Clank said. "Move where? Its not just here that the drought has been, its through out the entire continent. Even if there wasn't we can't get past the mountains that wall the city. We don't have the resources to travel across the ocean. And we've even lost our ability to travel through space." She said sadly. "We're stuck Clank, we lombaxes are going to go extinct." Clank felt as though he had been frozen from the inside out. He had to do something, but what? What can one little robot do to save an entire race? He felt like crying. Then Ari suddenly smiled. "I shouldn't be afraid of death. Cause we all die eventually-" She said. "Besides, at least I'll still have a chance to have another millia fruit." she gestured up at the millia tree and smiled at Clank. Clank couldn't believe how optimistic and cheerful Ari remained. Despite the situation her race had found itself in, somehow she could still smile. Then a third voice joined in. It was female and beautifully melodic. Up the hill clambered the most beautiful lombax Clank had ever seen. So beautiful in fact that his face went warm when he saw her. She was tall for a female, and her long elegant features where perfectly proportioned. Her fur was an pinkish-red. Her eyes where brilliant turquoise and an elegant tuff of long fur draped over the left side of her face. "I'm glad to see someone else has the audacity to remain positive in these bleak times." she said with a smile. "And who are you?" Ari said. "Juin Amelia Baler."


	7. The Great Lombax

Chapter Seven

The Great Lombax

Ratchet was fading, and fading fast. Despite Talwyn. Cronk and Zephyr's best efforts the lombax continued to eat less and his fur continued to shed so much it was a wonder he hadn't lost all of his fur yet. Their journey to find the Great Lombax was taking much longer then anticipated. Weeks went by and every few days they had to land on the nearest planet to re-stalk on supplies. It was on planet Dixos, a small back-water planet filled with kind country folk who talked in thick accents, that Ratchet first heard it.

They had gone to one of the local marts to get new food for Talwyn and Ratchet. As they passed down isles Ratchet slowly began to hear a strange sound. It was melodic and sad, yet strangely up-lifting at the same time. It started as if it where saying hello and then proceeded to tell an old story he knew long ago, but had forgotten. Ratchet soon realized that the sound was hearing was music. Yes a piano was being played and a voice was singing, a woman's voice. The most beautiful voice he had ever heard. He tried to make out the words, but couldn't understand them. He had not realized it, but the music had caused him to blank out and go into a form of trance. He did not hear Talwyn repeating his name. It wasn't until she shook him that he noticed her presence there and remembered where he was. Her face was filled with a motherly like concern. "Are you alright?" she asked. There was a panic to her voice. "Do you hear that music?" he asked her not paying attention to her concern. "Ratchet there is no music being played." "But I hear it! I do, its loud and clear!" Ratchet couldn't under-stand. How could she not hear it? The music had faded, but not completely. Now it grew loud again. Ratchet became light-headed, his body slowly began to sway back and forth. His world suddenly went black. And in the meat department at the back of the store all heads turned as Talwyn gave out a shriek and Ratchet collapsed to the floor.

"What did you do?" Cronk scolded her. "I didn't do anything! ...He just fainted!" Talwyn cried. "Wake up you lousy lombax!" said Zephyr, slapping Ratchet across the face with the back of his hand. But Ratchet would not wake. A crowd had started to form around them. "Come on, we can't stay here with him." Cronk said. He picked Ratchet up and threw him like a towel over his right shoulder, where the lombax hung limp. "What about the food?" Talwyn asked following behind. "Zephyr will take care of it." Behind them Zephyr had taken the cart for him self, and he went along happily humming his own little tune to himself.

Light-years away, on the small planet of Nesota, in a alternate dimension, Clank and Ari where being entertained by a young musician named Juin. She played on a key board set on her lap. And she sang in a language Clank had never heard before. Her voice was so beautiful and the music calmed him. He let himself doze off in the shade of the millia tree. Next to him Ari had closed her eyes, and this seemed to not bother Juin. Who continued to play with a smile on her face. Clank closed his eyes as well. And as he did so he began to dream.

In the dream the music was gone. He found himself in a familiar place. Set on a small stone outcrop. Behind him was an old ship-hanger, in-front a young lombax with bright gold colored fur, who was tinkering with a ship. Clank wanted to get the lombaxes attention so he said the first thing that came to mind. "Interesting." the lombax fell backwards with a yelp. On the ground he turned over to face Clank. The moment they saw each others faces they recognized each other. "Clank!" the lombax was beaming. "Ratchet!" Clank was dreaming about his friend, but it felt as though Ratchet was indeed there with him. The lombax pranced around him like some happy pet delighted to see its owner. His face filled with positive glee. "Ratchet! I can see that you are happy to see me- OOF!" Ratchet had pinned Clank to the ground with his own forehead, like some over grown house-cat. He was nuzzling Clank in the way a lombax would nuzzle its own child. But Ratchet did not think of Clank in that way, did he? "What are you doing in my dream?" Clank asked. Ratchet pulled away. "Your dream? I thought this was my dream." Clank thought for a moment. "Could it be the we are sharing a dream? If that is even possible." "I guess-" said Ratchet. "But who cares!" He tackled hugged Clank. And the two tumbled in the dirt. "I'm so glad to see you!" Ratchet cried. "Ratchet do you realize where we are?" Clank said, still being tightly held in Ratchet's arms. Ratchet looked around. "We're on Veldin." "And-?" Clank said. The lombax was drawing a blank, so Clank answered for him. "Ratchet this is the exact spot where we first met!" "You're right!" Ratchet said, looking around. "But why are we dreaming that we're here." Clank could only shrug as an answer. Ratchet had at last let him go. "I've been looking for you." Ratchet told him, tears in his eyes. "You have?" Clank asked in awe. Ratchet could only nod, he seemed about to cry, There was brief moment of silence between. It felt as though the dream was beginning to end. Ratchet must have sensed it, because he pulled something out his pocket. It was a small silver devise that resembled a pocket watch with five rings around it. Its cover was carved with a intricate design. Ratchet put it in Clank's hand. Then closed Clank's own fingers over the device, He then held Clanks hand in both his own. He was looking at Clank in a way Clank had never seen before, sincere yet pleading. "This is yours." Ratchet told him. "Never lose it."

With a stretch and a yawn Clank woke up. "You fell asleep?!" Ari said. Clank looked up at her, Juin had stopped playing. "I am so sorry." He feared that he had insulted Juin by falling asleep to her music. But she smiled and said "Its okay Clank, I get that a lot with that song, I'm not offended." The three left the park together and as they did so Clank couldn't keep his mind off the dream, and the device Ratchet had given him in it. 'Could it be?' he thought to himself. Making sure the girls weren't paying attention he opened his compartment and pulled out a silvery device with five rings around it. He turned it over in his hands in shock. On the back he read, in Ratchet's own hand writing, the flowing words; "Where your treasure is your heart is also."

Deep in space, in the back of Aphelion, Ratchet was just waking up when ship started to shake violently. He had no idea how he got there or where he was. Over the intercom he heard the others speaking from their own ship. "What is going on?" Talwyn said. "The nebula, its changing!" said Zephyr. Ratchet came up to the pilot seat of Aphelion. Through her windshield Ratchet could see large clouds in space twisting an turning in shape. "Its starting to resemble a lombax!" came Talwyn's voice. She was right, the nebula had now dawned the muzzle, ears and tail of a lombax rising up from the mist. Ratchet put on the O2-Mask had stepped out side onto Aphelion's hood. "Do be careful." she told him. Ratchet starred up at the nebula which towered over him. He watched as it also gave itself the face, arms and hands of a lombax. Feeling awkward he took a deep breath and asked in a trembling voice. "Are you the Great Lombax?" "Ratchet, I have been waiting a long time to see you with my own eyes." It spoke in not one, but three voices, the voice of a male, the voice of a female and the voice of a child, all at the same time. "You have?" Ratchet asked frightened. "Ratchet, do not be afraid." The Great Lombax said in a soothing voice. "You have done great things, and now the time has come for you to rejoin your own kind." Ratchet could feel his heart beating hard. The Great Lombax then grabbed its chest with both of its hands and pulled apart the clouds. Inside a large wooden door appeared suspended in space. Aphelion slowly moved close enough so Ratchet could easily step off her hood and through the door. Ratchet looked down at Talwyn, Cronk and Zephyr who where all watching through their own ships windshield. Ratchet tried to ask them with a look if they were alright with him going through the door. They understood, and each of them nodded. Ratchet smiled and nodded trying to let them know that he was truly thankful to them. He opened the door and was met by a sudden blinding light. Taking a final look back at the others he took a deep breath and stepped through the door. He didn't know where this would take him, if he would live or not, if it would actually take him to the lombaxes and to Clank. But he had come this far to give up now.

Back at her ship tears formed in Talwyn's eyes. She sunk into her seat and continued to stare up at the nebula. It had lost all resemblance to a lombax and the door had vanished. "I'm going to miss you Ratchet." she said somberly. Cronk and Zephyr both gently put a hand on each of her shoulders.


	8. Reunion

Chapter Eight

Reunion

Through a void of swirling blue and white Ratchet was hurtled against his will. Till finally he reached a large white door which opened the moment his body approached it. Out it he was thrown. Then to horror he began to fall. He was falling! Falling far and fast. It didn't matter where he landed, it would be extremely painful. That is of course if it did not kill him. Below he began to see the dark waves of an ocean below. It came closer and closer. Then suddenly- SMACK! He hit the water with devastating force. His O2-mask broke and he felt a sharp blow to his head. His world went black as he slowly sank to the ocean floor, his lungs taking in water against his will.

Above, a commercial fishing ship was doing its daily rounds. Its great nets sweeping through the water picking up schools of silvery fish. And with them Ratchet's body as well. When the nets where emptied on the boats several lombaxes screamed as Ratchet's form appeared among the squirming fish. The captain grabbed a Holo-Phone and dialed the police. "Yes. Officer? Our fishing nets have accidently caught a dead body!" "He's not dead!" cried a crew member over by Ratchet, whom they had laid on the floor of the boat. The captain turned back to the Officer on the Holo-Phone. "Get us medics now!" He demanded. The captain hung up. Everyone turned there attentions to Ratchet. They tried to find ways to get him breathing again. One female even started doing CPR but find it hard to continue when she realized that his mouth was flooded with blood. To fix this they turned him over and allowed gravity to drain the blood out. The CPR was able to continue after that. But Ratchet remained unconscious and not breathing. Finally the Ambulance arrived aboard a fancy ship with flashing red lights. They took Ratchet and hooked him to various IVs. A mask that supplied oxygen was applied to his face. And with that they rushed him to the Hospital.

At the Hospital they went immediately to an emergency room. Ratchet of course was unconscious through all this and had no idea what was happening. Hooking him up to various machines they applied tubes down his throat and began gently removing as much water as they could. They stopped every few moments of doing this to give him oxygen. Then finally his lungs responded and his body went rigid as he coughed painfully. He fell back on with a soft thud. His head was throbbing and he was so week and sore he could barely open his eyes. Through his eye-lashes he saw figures standing around him. He wanted to get up and see if they where lombaxes, but his body felt too heavy. He lost all his strength again and his eyes closed.

The discovery of Ratchet had not gone unnoticed by the press. Soon dozens of interviews where being done with doctors and the crew of the fishing-liner. "How do you think he got there." a female reporter asked the ships captain. "We have no idea. What I think we should be asking his how he survived." was the captains answer. "Doctor? Can you explain the miraculous recovery this young male as gone through?" another reporter asked a doctor at the local Hospital. Jaque, who was lounging at home, had flicked through the channels looking for something of interest to watch and stopped dead on a news station that was showing film clips of the rescue of a lombax, discovered in the nets of a fishing liner. "Officials have no idea who this young male is." said the News Anchor. "He had no identification on him." It was at this moment that Clank wandered into the room with Ari. Juin had gone back to her own apartment. The anchor continued- "He is a male, quite young (early twenties in age) with gold fur, and green eyes. His stripes are light brownish-orange set in groups of three, except on his tail which has four stripes. His tail-tuff starts out gold and becomes white at its tip. The same effect his on his ears." "We have to go the hospital now!" Clank cried out. "What? Why?" said Jaque turning around on the couch to look over its back. "That was Ratchet!" Clank said. "Your sure?" Ari asked looking down with concern in her face. "Positive! I know Ratchet better then anyone and that description she gave of him was perfect." he told them. Ari and Jaque exchanged glances. "That settles it. Lets go." Jaque said, grabbing his keys and heading out with Clank and Ari behind him. They didn't have a vehicle to ride in and the hospital was several miles away on the other side of town. They grabbed a taxi to compensate for this problem.

Arriving at the hospital they where confronted with a wall of lombaxes. Cameras filming and flashing all around the entrance. No one was aloud to come in . Thanks to Clank's small size he was able to duck underneath the press. Carefully he made his way through the hospital, avoiding being seen as well as he could. Now he needed to find out which room Ratchet was in. Hiding behind the front desk he over-heard two doctors mention the press over reacting about the patient in Room 11. At last Clank new where to go. Making his way down the hallways he looked up at each door checking the large gold numbers written on each of them. He counted himself very lucky that no doctors came along as he conversed the hallways. Finally he reached a door with a large gold eleven on it.

Listening first to make sure no one was in the room, he gently pushed it open. It was small with large windows and white walls. Making the whole room very bright. In a bed, connected to various machines, lied Ratchet. Clank hovered up to him and set himself on his friends left side. Ratchet's condition frightened Clank. He was extremely frail and his fur was so thin Clank could see the skin underneath. "Ratchet?" Clank said nervously. Ratchet didn't move, but Clank swore he heard him mutter something. "Ratchet?" Clank repeated a little louder. "Clank? It could barely be heard but Clank new what had been said. "Yes Ratchet its me!" he said cheerfully. Ratchet's body began to stir, finding its strength again. His eyes opened, and Clank felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted off his chest. He put a hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "Ratchet you found me." Ratchet was barely awake, he turned his head to face Clank and upon finally seeing Clank his eyes went very wide. He didn't move or stir, and his constant staring made Clank very uncomfortable. Suddenly Ratchet lunged forward. He grabbed hold of Clank and pulled him close. Hugging the small robot to his chest, he held on with a death grip. He seemed terrified to let Clank go. Then Clank heard a strange sound, a whimpering broken up by the occasional sniffle. Ratchet's body trembled, and something wet slid down Clanks back. To Clank's shock he realized that Ratchet was crying. Never had he seen Ratchet truly cry. He had come close certainly, but never had he just let go of his emotions like this. "Ratchet? What has happened to you?" Clank asked with great worry.

Ratchet loosened his grip, and seemed about to choke an answer when the door suddenly flew open and in stormed the doctors. "Get out!" they demanded and Ratchet's grip on Clank got titer. "You're lombaxes." Ratchet said with wide eyes. "Yes- So are you." a Doctor replied with a puzzled look. Clank managed too turn around in Ratchet's arms. "Please, excuse my friend." he told them. "He has never seen another lombax before." The jaws of all the doctors and nurses dropped in disbelief. "Is this true?" said a nurse addressing Ratchet, who nodded and said "Please don't punish Clank." "Clank?" said another doctor, puzzled about the name. "You know this robot?" Ratchet smiled. "This robot-" he said. "-is my family, and the bravest person I've ever known." There was a note of pride to his voice. Clank suddenly felt very big for his small metal frame, and a great feeling was swelling inside him. With new courage he addressed the doctors and nurses, and told them about how he and Ratchet had been separated. When he finished the doctors made an agreement with him. Ratchet would have too stay for another week. After that he was free to go home.

Waiting for a week to let Ratchet come home to the apartment was like waiting for christmas to come. It did not feel like a week, it felt like a century. But it was a week and soon enough Ratchet, Clank, Ari and Jaque where all squeezed together in the back of a taxi heading home. Jaque was quick to take on a conversation with Ratchet. Jaque was quite the entertainer, he loved a good social event. Ari on the other hand had become painfully shy. She seemed uncomfortable to have a male lombax of her generation so close to her. Though granted at the moment Ratchet was anything but a stud-muffin. His fur was still thin, and his body frail. He had however gained some weight, and his fur had stopped shedding out.

Arriving at the apartment, Jaque made everyone dinner. It was made of left overs, but Jaque was able to make reheated food taste better. Ratchet, who obviously had not taken a liking to hospital food, scarfed it down like he would not never eat again. He finished long before anyone else, yet ate almost twice as much. Latter that night the couch in front of the television was revealed to have a fold-out bed inside it. A place to sleep was made for Ratchet, and Clank happily took the big cushy arm chair. It reminded him of the first few years he lived with Ratchet, where their only furniture was pair of armchairs. Ratchet fell asleep almost instantly. And Clank dozed of soon after-words.


End file.
